In order to:
Protect local sources of clean drinking water from contamination and pollution;
Remove harmful and dangerous pollutants and toxic chemicals from our local creeks, reservoirs, lakes, and the Delta and the Bay;
Capture, clean and use rainwater to irrigate local parks and landscaping;
Prevent illegal or toxic discharges from industrial and commercial properties;
Keep trash and pollution off our shorelines and out of our local creeks, reservoirs, lakes, and the Delta and the Bay;
Provide other clean water and pollution control services and facilities required by Federal and State regulations;
Do you approve the proposed annual Clean Water fee for your property(s) listed on the other side of this ballot?

The Contra Costa Clean Water Program is comprised of twenty-one public agencies including Contra Costa County, all nineteen of its incorporated cities and towns, and the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.

This measure is a parcel fee, to be voted on only by property owners. If passed by a majority of the property owners returning ballots, the fee would raise revenue to pay for services provided by the agencies listed above, to comply with pollutant discharge elimination stormwater permits issued by the San Francisco Bay and Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Boards. All funding received will be used in the community where it was generated.

The measure was considered by the Board of Supervisors at their meeting on Dececember 6, 2011 and on February 7, 2012 after a public hearing, the board decided to conduct the election.

This is a mail-only election. Ballots were mailed to property owners in February.

All ballots must be received by Friday, April 6, 2012 at 5:00 pm. You may return your ballot in the following ways:
A) Mail your ballot to:
Contra Costa Clean Water Program
c/o Carol Keane and Associates
700 Ygnacio Valley Rd Ste 360
Walnut Creek CA 94596-9869
so that it is received on or before April 6, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

B) Hand-deliver your ballot to the Clerk of the Board of Contra Costa County Supervisors at 651 Pine St, 1st Floor, Room 106, Martinez, California so that it is received on or before April 6, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

The proposed annual Clean Water fee for your property is printed on the official ballot. The total amount that would be raised County-wide by the proposed 2012 Community Clean Water Initiative for fiscal year 2012-13 is approximately $8+ million. The proposed Clean Water fee is based on the cost of clean water and pollution control services and facilities needed to improve water quality and comply with federal and state mandates. The proposed Clean Water fee is calculated based on the average impervious surface (surfaces not permeable by water, such as driveways, pavement and buildings) for properties of different types and sizes. For example, properties with large impervious areas send more polluted water into the storm drain system than property types without impervious surfaces, such as open space.

The proposed annual Clean Water fee can only be increased by the consumer price index, or two percent, whichever is less. This will help ensure that Clean Water fee revenues keep pace with the cost of operating and maintaining our clean water and water pollution control services and facilities in future years. For more information, contact the Clean Water Program and/or review the Clean Water Fee Report available from the Program. Moreover, if approved, the Clean Water fee will be levied annually for a period not to exceed 10 years.